Fuji built both the cobras and apaches locally. Viper, if bell gets it will be locally produced as well. The issue with Apaches was ironically "high cost" which resulted in Fuji suffering an early termination previously. Don't think airbus has a chance on this. If its cost as the determination, viper will win it. If its capability, apache.

"TOKYO — Japan is requiring its new attack helicopters be equipped for shipboard operations, as the country looks to replace its legacy Bell/Fuji Heavy Industries AH-1S Cobra attack helos. Japan’s request for information issued earlier this year called for the new helicopters to be marinized and able to operate from “expeditionary airfields or sea bases,”, said retired Lt. Gen. George Trautman, an adviser to Bell.

Speaking to Defense News at the Japan International Aerospace Exhibition in Tokyo, the former U.S. Marine aviator and commander of Marine Corps aviation said the RFI requested pricing and information for “30, 40 and 50” helicopters. He added that a request for proposals is expected in the next three to four months...."

“The Japanese government is close to buying Mageshima island in Kagoshima Prefecture and will convert it into an airfield for U.S. Navy pilots to carry out Field Carrier Landing Practice. The negotiations started in 2016 and talks dragged on due to disagreement over the price. There are also plans to shift USMC MV-22B training to Mageshima island in future.”

[We can imagine that USMC & Japanese F-35Bs might go to this field landing practice area if made suitable - see below]

Iejima “LHD deck” airstrip completed for use by U.S. military next month23 Nov 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo (English translation by T&CT and Megumi Chibana)

"Expansion work on the airstrip simulating an LHD deck, a flight deck of an amphibious assault ship, at Iejima Auxiliary Airfield was recently finished. The U.S. Marine Corps explained to Ie Village and the Okinawa Defense Bureau that Marine Corps F-35B vertical takeoff stealth fighter aircraft and CH-53 heavy-lift transport helicopters will begin training there in December. This is the first time that the U.S. has revealed which aircraft models will be used on the airstrip.

According to Ie Village, a person in charge at the U.S. Marine Corps visited Mayor Hideyuki Shimabukuro on November 20, informing him that extension work had been completed and about the operations set to start in December...."

'LCON' said: "...Note if you will the hull number 192. The Izumo class ships are DDH 183 and DDG 184. Farther [further] more.That model is in fact from a Japanese manga (comic book) Kubo Ibuki or Aircraft carrier Ibuki. That being the ship named in the title. A fictional telling of well the first Japanese carrier. It's funny as this is a case of life imitating art, imitating life being confused for art.The books were inspired by people pointing out that the two new Helicopter carrier classes were designed to support F35 and V22 operations. The author is something of a Japanese Tom Clancy. He took that and the Chinese carrier and territorial issues and set to the plot. It became popular there is a movie set to release next year based on it. And Japanese model makers took the design from the book and realized it as a model.Than of course the recent report of the JSDF buy of F35B hits. And a quick web search for a Japanese F35 carrier will pull that up. To prove my point: https://m.imdb.com/title/tt8649224/ & https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/ ... lm-in-2019 & http://www.tamiya.com/english/products/25413/index.htm (plastic model page with pics) "